Mithrandir's Blackberry Meluvor Wedding Mead

Date of batch was 8/15/2009.
My half of this mead is for my daughter Brittany Leigh Hilgers' and her fiancé Mike Hess' wedding, which is in one year, July 31, 2010, in Los Angeles.(See her blog at: http://thebowiebride.blogspot.com/)
This is a mead recipe that Barry Tingleff & I made and split between us.
Total Batch size was 12 gallons, which was split between us at end of brew.
I am going to add blackberries to my 6 gal in the secondary fermenter(at first racking in a few weeks.)
Water was boiled with 1 oz hops, Irish Moss, yeast nutrients, & yeast energizer for 15 minutes.
Then heat turned off, honey added and steeped and stirred to mix thoroughly for 15 minutes.
Then must was run through gravity-fed counter-flow wort chiller into two 6.5 gallon glass carboys.
Yield was 6 gallons each of must.
When I do first racking into secondary fermenter, I will rack on top of approx. 7 lbs. of Vintner's Harvest Blackberry Fruit Wine Base, which comes in a 3 quart can.
There is only blackberries and water in the can, no other added sugars, preservatives, etc.
Adding this fruit should kick off a slight secondary fermentation, but should help keep the rich dark color and fruit flavor from being lost which I believe would occur if it was added in the primary or the boil.

Brewer:	Zachary "Gandalf" Hilgers		Email:	gandalf13@cox.net
URL:	http://www.mysmilelabs.com
Beer:	Mithrandir's Blackberry Meluvor Wedding Mead		Style:	Blackberry Melomel (Mead)
Type:	Extract		Size:	6 gallons
Color:	8 HCU (~6 SRM)		Bitterness:	2 IBU
OG:	1.109		FG:	1.020
Alcohol:	11.5% v/v (9.0% w/w)
Water:	10 gallons of R.O. water from Water & Ice store was boiled 15 minutes with 1 oz of old hops (but not cheesy), and 1 tablespoon each of yeast energizer and yeast nutrient, and 1 Tbsp Irish Moss.
Boil:	0 minutes	SG 1.109	6 gallons
	15.0 lb. Mountain Top-brand Arizona Desert Wildflower Honey
	1 Tbsp Irish Moss added to water and boiled for 15 minutes prior to shutting off heat and adding the honey.
Hops:	1 oz. Hallertauer Mittelfruh (2% AA, 15 min.)
Yeast:	Lalvin D47 used to make a 1 quart starter the day before. For starter, 1 quart water boiled in Ehrlenmeyer flask with 1 cup honey and 1 tsp. each of yeast energizer and nutrient. Starter allowed to cool covered to below 80°F, then rehydrated D47 added to starter and put on stir plate overnight. By next morning of brew day, starter was actively fermenting. Starter was split & pitched between both 6.5 gal glass carboys of cooled must.
Log:	Brew date 8/15/2009. Fermentation in temp-controlled fridge at 75°F began 8/16/2009, and is bubbling away very nicely!

Recipe posted 08/16/09.